We train and equip impoverished people to earn a living and improve their communities. Gainful employment means families are restored, communities are preserved, and lives are changed!

What is our hope?

Orphan Prevention

Have you seen the TV commercials or magazine ads where orphan children with big brown eyes are looking for sponsors? We look at those ads and want to help. You may even sponsor some of those children directly. But what if there were less orphans needing our help, less hungry bellies to fill, and less reliance on foreign aid for survival?

In Haiti, many children in the orphanages actually have parents! The parents could not afford to keep and provide for their child (or children) so they abandon them to an orphanage. What if we can PREVENT those children from becoming orphans? That is exactly what Beyond Relief is doing!

Our graduates, young men and women, have the skills to get well-paying jobs and break the cycle of poverty in a nation with 79% unemployment. Before they leave the house, they are already helping their parents financially. When they leave, they can be self-sufficient. And when they have children of their own, they can afford to take care of them.

Families are restored. Communities are preserved. Lives are changed.

Poverty Avoidance

It’s no accident that we chose the poorest region, of the poorest country, in the Western Hemisphere to plant a trade school. These people are the poorest of the poor. They are the least among us and we can impact their world immensely with simple acts of sacrifice. Financial gifts, giving of our time, materials for education, and job skills training all pack a bigger punch here than in other places around the world. But job skills are only the beginning of what we bring…

When students have been asked why they want to go to the Beyond Relief Trade School, their answer is always the same. They say they now have hope for their future.

The few schools that are available in northwest Haiti are too expensive for most Haitians to attend and we’ve heard first hand that the courses are not as beneficial as what we offer in terms of real-life, hands-on training. Beyond Relief is offering high quality, low cost training to make it possible for more Haitians to receive the skills they need to get well-paying jobs. Many even go on to start their own businesses!

And together we break the chains of poverty one family at a time!

Life-Changing Skills

Real survival doesn’t happen on “reality TV,” rather it takes place all around the globe; in places just like St. Louis du Nord where we founded a trade school in 2011. These students walk many miles multiple times a day to carry buckets of water from the nearest source. They don’t know when their next meal will take place or where it will come from. And no one is coming to rescue them “at the end of the show” to whisk them away for a shower and a feast.

Real survival means taking what you’re given and making the most out of it. If we not only give a hand-out, but give a hand-up… If we don’t just give them a fish, but we teach them how to fish… They can feed their family for life. And a sense of purpose, self-worth, and pride in who they are, grow and develop them into who God called them to be.

By bringing skills such as Electrical, Plumbing, Tiling, English, Art, Sewing, and Computers, we are handing these survivors an arsenal of skills that will not only allow them to survive, but to THRIVE. They know where their next meal is coming from because they provide it for themselves. Soon they are helping others, creating more jobs, and the cycle has been broken.

We value keeping you informed. You deserve to know your gifts are used well and honestly, we’re excited to share our progress!

PROJECTS

Beyond Relief Trade School

St. Louis du Nord, Haiti

Phase 1

We purchased a little over 1/4 acre of land. The facility being built (with all labor done by local Haitians) is 100% donation dependent and we need your help to finish strong! Phase 1 is almost complete with approximately $200,000 US Dollars invested and is already in use!

Completed Items:

5 Classroom Spaces to Accommodate Current Needs

Outdoor Courtyard for Open Air Activities and Social Spaces

Restrooms and Septic Facilities

Water Well / Garden

Generator Room / Storage Shed

Staff Office Space

On-Site Housing for the Director to Enhance Security

Security Wall Around Property

Guard Station and Gate with Parking

Remaining items:

Plaster/Skim Coat in all School Rooms to Allow Permanent Electrical Installation

Permanent Electrical Wiring, Lights and Fans

Fixtures, Doors, Windows and the Water Tank for the Bathrooms

10 Doors

Solar System/Better Generator

Phase 2

Plans include:

General Store – to sell items made by the students and school supplies

Materials

Material Donations

Supplies in Haiti are hard to come by and often cost many times what we’d find them for in the United States. If you have materials to donate, we are looking for the following on a pretty steady basis:

Art Supplies (quality paints, canvases, brushes, paper, etc.)

Sewing Supplies (spools of thread, fabrics, other consumables)

Electrical Supplies (wire, tools, work boxes, conduit, etc.)

Plumbing Supplies (PVC pipe, tools, fixtures, tile, etc.)

Computer Supplies (modern laptops, software donations, etc.)

English Supplies (Hatian Creole to English teaching materials)

Please keep in mind we try to have similar materials for all students in a class and class sizes are usually 20-50 individuals a year, so larger quantities are preferred.

ABOUT BEYOND RELIEF

Founded in 2010, we are a 100% volunteer run, registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Get to know us a bit and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

History

After traveling to Haiti on several mission trips, David and Rita Kuntz saw many organizations providing various forms of relief to meet the desperate needs in Haiti. God put it on their hearts that there is a need to train Haitians with the skills necessary to provide for themselves.
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Founded in 2010

In December 2010 they founded Beyond Relief International Ministries to establish a trade school in St. Louis du Nord in the Northwest region of Haiti. Their desire is to provide training in many skills that will equip and prepare Haitians to earn a living.

Meet the Board

Did you know that 100% of our staff in the U.S. are volunteers? One of the keys to a successful organization is the passion with which people are involved.
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David KuntzDavid “retired” from a long career with Procter and Gamble to offer his time and energy giving back to others.

Rita KuntzRita served as the head of outreach/missions at a church for many years where Haiti was their focus.

After traveling to Haiti on several mission trips, David and Rita saw many organizations providing various forms of relief to meet the desperate needs in Haiti. God put it on their hearts that there is a need to train Haitians with the skills necessary to provide for themselves. In December 2010 they founded Beyond Relief International Ministries to establish a trade school in St. Louis du Nord in the Northwest region of Haiti. Their desire is to provide training in many skills that will equip and prepare Haitians to earn a good living.